


Memories of Magic

by ClearAutumnVibes



Series: The Magician's Oath [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Bad Ending, Character Death, Fairy Tale Elements, Fluff and Angst, Immortality, Kinda, Magic and Science, Magical Realism, Main Character is a God, Original Character Death(s), Other, This took a long time to write, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tragic Romance, gay all the way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23127904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClearAutumnVibes/pseuds/ClearAutumnVibes
Summary: Lucem is a God of Night and Magic. The stars bowed before them, the moon is their throne, and while they were the disdain of heaven, it never mattered.Vittore Rosso is a scientist who cares for the Kingdom of Stellium and hopes that his work will see it thrive. He has no time for trivial things such as love when his work calls for him.When two lonely souls meet, they cannot help but drift closer together. But even the moon wanes and people fade away, is it possible for God and man to stay together despite what problems they will face?
Relationships: Lucem/Vittore Rosso, Mage/Scientist, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Original Male Character(s)/Original Non-Binary Character(s)
Series: The Magician's Oath [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662454
Comments: 5
Kudos: 3





	Memories of Magic

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This story is mainly fluff, so I hope the summary doesn't make it sound more dramatic than it is. Originally, this was a side story for my actual work, 'The Magician's Oath' that spiraled into its own shot story. This is my fist time posting an original story on AO3 so please be kind on me! With that said, thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoy it!

Lucem could recall a time when they were once a God. 

The raw power that stream through their ichor blood and the sight of the heavens’ sunrise haunting them like a phantom. They were powerful in that they needed no temples, no need for followers. Instead their strength as a God came from the heavens themselves. They were a primordial being that also came with the creation of the universe. Lucem was once a trickster God, a ruler of the night, and magic personified. 

Once, they were called Night Ruler. 

Like any trickster worth their salt, Lucem played tricks to teach or to alleviate boredom. Their cunning tongue, their wit and their magic skills played many a role in bringing chaos into the heavens. At most, they were tolerated being blood-siblings with Oberon the War Monger and the favored of Earth Mother. It is left unsaid that they were hated by most of heaven. Their tricks seemed to bring nothing but trouble without them noticing the other effects of Lucem’s conniving ways.

They spent most of their time playing in other parts of the world, bored with the stagnancy that is the heavens. That was when a curious mortal grabbed their attention. 

The mortal was passionately speaking to a colleague of their research. He believed that if they combined science and magic, they would be able to bring the city out of its current poverty as well as fix the infrastructural problems. He spoke of theories, some untested and others needing evidence.

If he was right, then he would pave the way for a new branch of science, scientific magic. 

The topic piqued Lucem’s interest. It was a fascinating topic and their mind was bored from the boring old life in the heavens. So they did what they did best, played a bit of a prank in order to get his attention.

They grabbed a paper on energy crystals and reusability, glancing at it and letting it dangle around the man.

“As such, we could possibly use energy crystals instead of magic in order to power the city. This would free up the magic users time more and allow…” The man paused in his words when he noticed the paper floating behind his colleague.

“Vittore?” His colleague raised an eyebrow. Vittore can see why he reacts like that, he admits he’s almost pompous whenever he discussed theories, his mind active and his mouth somehow managing to keep up.

“I’ll be back. For now, guard the papers.” Vittore replied as he stood up.

And then, he moved to grab the paper, only for it to fly away. 

He tried again when he managed to go up to it.

Again, it escaped his grasp.

This continued on and on, making him run through the corridors when it noticed he was walking towards it.

The paper led him outside to a Jasmine tree. There, his molten gold eyes scanned the area for the cheeky paper.

“Look up, human.” He heard a voice and it is there that he sees the paper in the clutches of another person.

This person was handsome and beautiful at the same time, their hair up in a black and gold trimmed bun with a little dark braid at the end alongside their twinkling black eyes. Their clothing was quite fantastical, a puffy white long sleeves shirt underneath a black vest trimmed with gold and touched with stars and a crescent moon on the back, their pants puffy and beige. 

In their hands is the very paper Vittore had been chasing. 

“Give me the paper,” Vittore said with a calm and level voice. 

Lucem looked down at him with amusement and said. “How foolish of you to demand from a God. I am Night Ruler, Lucem, God of trickery and most of all, magic personified. As for my reason, human, I find your research interesting so I’m acting as your sponsor."

“I…” It was true. Vittore and his team needed a magic sponsor since they lacked a magician on their team to confirm or deny certain theories that include magic. He narrowed his eyes, should he trust someone who simply claims to be a God? For now, he’ll play along. “You’re a trickster God, there has to be a catch.”

“As I said, your research is interesting, so the catch would be the fact I want this-” Lucem waved the paper, “-To come to life before my eyes.”

“I see. In that case, I must welcome you to my team…” His hands are tied anyway. Luckily, the demands of this so called ‘God’ is simple and doable with the help of a magician, regardless of whether or not they truly are a God.

“Calypso. That will be my false name until this research is done.” Lucem’ eyes curved into little black crescents, pleased like a cat lazing in the sun. “Pleasure to be on your team.”

Vittore nodded his head, “The pleasure is mine, Lucem. My name is Vittore Rosso and my goal is to make the Kingdom of Stellium a better place.”

After that, Lucem was taken in as Calypso, master magician and willing participant who wanted to see this research come together. Vittore’s team accepted them surprisingly, even if they doubted Vittore was charismatic enough to convince them to join, they still welcomed their presence. Lucem, on their part, cheerfully answered any questions they had as well as providing a volunteer for magic when they so need it, changing from an arrogant God to an agreeable magician.

The research team was taking the day off when Lucem asked Vittore, “So, what brought the idea of combining science and magic together?”

“I believe with this, Stellium would become a better place. Our country has ran itself into the ground, rife with corruption, lack of jobs. We have stagnated, frustrated with lack of change. With this, I believe that I could spearhead the change from this stagnation. We could invent jobs relating to both science and magic and further explore this new branch.” Vittore grinned, a smile so genuine it shone like a star.

Touched by this, Lucem smiled back. “I can see you truly love Stellium. I find this place has potential for beauty, and well, this has been a rather stagnant age.” Lucem reached up to the night sky and pulled a bit of starlight, letting it turn solid in their hand.

“I’m not sure if this would help but, starlight should at least help you save up on coin when working in a dark place.”

Taking the starlight, Vittore marvelled at it. The way it kissed his skin with gentle warmth and glowed soft silver, lighting the room, it ignited a sense of wonder within him. 

“Lucem…” He murmured.

“Take it, I have plenty of those back at my palace.” Lucem waved a hand. “Like I said, ‘ruler of the night’, so don’t think about it too much and take it.”

Vittore kept it and vowed to treasure it. “Thank you, Lucem. I…I feel I cannot take this without giving something in exchange. Perhaps it’s because receiving such a thing as a gift gives it more weight than you’re saying.”

“In that case…” Lucem hummed, “I’ll take having your pocket watch instead. Besides, with me around, you’ll always know the time anyway!”

Vittore chuckled and handed his pocket watch to Lucem. “If you can tell time without need for a watch, then why get mine?”

“Well…” Lucem grinned, laughter in their eyes. “It looks quite interesting! Adds to the air of mystery does it not?”

With a snort, Vittore shook his head. “I suppose so. Only you can see a pocket watch and deem it useful for aesthetic reasons.”

“Life is all about having fun, is it not?” Lucem replied as they took the watch and hid it in a pocket. “Anyway, go and hang the starlight up in that lamp! It’ll be plenty useful for reading your experiments in the dark.”

“Ah yes, speaking of which, I want to test solar power, as of right now Stellium has been running on steam power. According to magical theory, the sun, the moon and the stars provide energy for spells yes?”

“Indeed, perhaps we could use the solar power, set up a light absorber, and convert it to energy?” Lucem replied and soon they were talking about more theories. 

Absorbed in the topic, and in each other, they never noticed the soothing atmosphere that fell around them. In that moment, it was merely the two of them and the whole world did not exist.

Time passed and they pioneered the combination of science and magic. And every time, they would begin a new project, from solar powered crystals and lamps that would light up when night fell, their work seemed to never end. This brought many eyes towards Vittore and his team, many of whom noticed the closeness between Vittore and ‘Calypso’. 

The Gods on Lucem’s end, noticed their absence and while some viewed it with suspicion, many chalked it up to Lucem terrorizing or playing around in the mortal realm. Oberon in particular grew curious as to where they were going but noticed how happy they were. As such, he let it slide.

“Lucem?” Vittore spoke one day as they revised their research paper on electricity generation. “The paper you wanted to see happened finally passed. So, why stay? I mean no offense, I’m merely curious as to why you stayed.”

Lucem paused and glanced at Vittore out of the corner of their eyes. Vittore had been honest when he answered such a personal question so how can they not respond in kind?

“I stayed because…” Lucem took a deep breath. “I stayed because of you.”

“Me?” Vittore looked up from his paper.

“Yes.” Lucem relaxed as they looked at Vittore. “You speak with such passion with every project. It helps that you are a good man. But yes, you speak with such care and love, as if it’s already happened. It makes me…It makes me want to be there for it, to see it nurtured and grown.”

Vittore blinked and a teasing grin grew on his face. “Are you telling me that I charmed the God of trickery?”

“I suppose you did,” Lucem whispered, walking closer to Vittore, “You somehow charmed a God.”

Looking into those shining black eyes, Vittore’s smile fell. “There’s more to it, isn’t there?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me?”

He reached a supportive hand out, and Lucem took it, feeling Vittore’s thumb stroking it in concern. 

“I was not always a trickster God. I was once merely the ruler of the night and kept to myself in my kingdom of stars, situated upon my throne, the moon. But it was lonely, the only one I often spoke with was the War Monger, Oberon and his wife, the Peace Bringer, Titania. And that was because I saved Titania from a curse that caused her to hallucinate. Oberon became my sworn sibling and I was alright with that.”

Vittore stood up and murmured, “It wasn’t it enough, was it?”

Lucem closed their eyes and moved to lean on Vittore. “The other Gods never paid attention to me. They thought me to be the youngest when I have been around since the creation of the world. They ignore me. So I resorted to tricks to gain their attention. Then I used it to teach a lesson whenever they did something that they shouldn’t do. Eventually, I became a trickster God and the others trusted me less.” 

Vittore brought up his hands and hugged Lucem. “I never knew you felt that way, Lucem.”

Lucem open their eyes and smiled sadly, “I’m fine now. Better even, thanks to you, you listen to me. And that’s more than I could ask for.”

“I’ll be here for you, for as long as you’ll have me.” He swore. 

“And I, you,” Came their reply.

Days passed once more, invention after hurried invention. Vittore was doing his best to aid the building of foundations in this new field. Theories on the mixture of science and magic, theories on why some people have magic and others don’t, papers written and rewritten, debates and arguments sparked over them until the mere mention has all the parties involved sick in the stomach. They were making names for themselves in history.

As their names grew in renown, so did the targets on their back. 

Lucem’s own target was painted on by the Gods as well, as they grew more and more suspicious with every passing day.

“Lucem,” Oberon greeted them. They had been visiting their kingdom to ensure it was running well while they were busy with the research team. 

“Oberon,” Lucem replied, hiding the beating of their heart with an amused smile. “Come for some starlight?”

“Don’t play games with me, Lucem. You’ve been disappearing for years now. The other Gods have grown restless, including Sky Father.” Oberon scowled, “Where have you been?”

“Oh, in the mortal realm, under the stars and near the sea, the taste of magic strong and mighty-” Lucem knew they were stalling. It was better than revealing who they were with after all. Those who have the attention of the Gods always seemed to suffer a life of hardships. 

“Stop with the riddles, Lucem. You and I both know fully well that you’re stalling.” Oberon stopped them, displeased by this development. “I simply need to know if you’re planning something.”

“I’m not.” Lucem said, “All I’ve been doing was keeping an eye on Stellium. Apparently they managed to combine science and magic, how interesting.” Lucem smoothly lied, giving an alibi and a lie by omission. “If that’s all, I’ll be going now.” They turned to leave, to go back to Vittore and rest under the starlight they gifted him.

“Wait.” Oberon spoke, grabbing Lucem’s wrist, “It has something to do with that pocket watch, doesn’t it?”

Lucem paused.

If they replied it would be a confirmation either way. If they didn’t reply it was still an answer. They cursed, they weren’t careful enough to hide it properly. Oberon must have seen it on the inside of their vest when they turned around.   
Oberon hummed. “So I was right, it’s about the owner of the pocket watch, isn’t it?”

“…You and I both know what happens to those who gain the attention of the Gods, Oberon.” Lucem reminded, their tone steady as they imagined the worst.

Those who hold the attention of the Gods never prospered long. As they thought of brilliant Vittore and his bright smile after they finished writing a paper. They thought of the warmth of Vittore’s touch as he holds their hand and jumps up with fresh ideas and excitement in his eyes. They recall the amusement in his voice as Lucem figured out one human thing after another and the stunning wit that had them on the balls of their feet. 

They recalled Vittore’s arms around them, the scent of ink and papers from spending too much time in the library engulfing their senses until the only thing they could breathe is him. They can hear their own heart beat fast and their hands curl into a ball in order to hold on tightly to this man. 

If the Gods were to have a hold of him then… Vittore would not be the same. That much they knew. 

Oberon saw the conflict on their face and calmly let go of their wrist. “I won’t dwell much on it. It is as clear as day that you care for the owner of that pocket watch. Though I do have my suspicions, I will not probe. However, I will remind you that we are sworn siblings, if you ever find yourself in need of my aid, do not be hesitant to summon me.”

Lucem was expecting questions. They expected demands, force, perhaps even an argument that devolves into a shouting match if they wanted a dash of drama. What they did not expect was for Oberon, war monger, master of weapons, the God who many fear for his strategic mind and vitality on the field, a general and a soldier in one, to offer an understanding shoulder. 

“…I’ll keep that in mind, Oberon.”

“Good, I’ll go on my way and soothe the others, tell them you’re taking a nap in your kingdom.” 

And with that, Oberon, war God and above all, _brother_ , left them in peace. For once, Lucem wasn’t sure what their sibling was thinking. How strange, they thought, the trickster is now the one confused. 

But then again, they looked down from the heavens and down at Vittore. They haven’t been much of a trickster now have they? They frowned and went back down, silently and gracefully falling to where Vittore lay. 

“Good morning, Vittore.” Lucem smiled as they woke him up from sleeping on the desk. “How many times have I told you not to sleep on your desk?”

“Ah,” Vittore remarked as he stretched, “Many times, while healing my strained back might I add.”

“Vittore, you know I can’t keep healing you right?” Lucem sighed as they touched his back and allowed their hand to grow a soft green. “My healing magic is not as developed as I wish it to be, so it’s best not to test the waters.”

Vittore chuckled. “Very well, I’ll strive harder to take care of myself. If you promise me you’ll eat a bit more during meal time. While I understand your Godly senses make it harder for you to enjoy the food, I doubt you could run away to the heavens and eat whatever it is up there without drawing suspicion.”

“I’ll have you know that I eat high quality food from Oberon’s followers. You should try doing some offerings to me! It might do you some good.” Lucem replied with a sparkle in their eyes.

“Oh? As if I can’t just give you your offerings to your face?” Vittore huffed, “Come now, Lucem, don’t be so mean.”

“Either way, I honestly do not mind, Vittore. Now, what’s first on our agenda?” They asked.

Standing up and grabbing a coat, Vittore replied, “I believe it would be taking a break to go and observe how the natural world mixes with electric light from our light bulbs. Hopefully this would serve to be less expensive and easier to produce compared to the moonstones we use. This should also help the farmers in regulating specific plants.”

“I see, so we’ll have to head to the Cave Hope then.” Lucem grinned, “No doubt even if nothing were to come off it, it would still be a worthwhile trip.”

“Oh, have something you’d like to share? I’ve only been there once and that was for scientific reasons. Even then, however, it was only the mouth of the cave.” Vittore raised an eyebrow as he set to make dinner.

“It’s a gorgeous cave, I made it with the help of Earth Mother as a sanctuary for the lost and helpless. It has crystals that shine like my stars, plants for food and medicine, beds of healing moss, it was perfect, should still be, though people have been avoiding it due to the mention of my name. Or was it because of some other reason…?” Lucem frowned in thought. “Either way, it’s a beautiful place. I was one of the people who made it!”

Together, they made their way to Cave Hope, light bulb in hand and science in their minds. They walked together to this cave, entering through the mouth. Almost immediately, the cave’s mushrooms lit up in a gentle blue. 

“Like it?” Lucem asked with a proud grin, “The mushrooms were Earth Mother’s idea but the colors are all me!”

“It’s…gorgeous.” Vittore said, eyes wide as he took in the sight of the cave.

Blue mushrooms glowed dimly within the darkness of the cave. The deeper they got, the more shining flora they found. From flowers that looked like drops of honey, dim with a soft yellow glow to the soft, mossy green beds with little fireflies fluttering about. They went in deeper and deeper, all the while Lucem looked around to take in the sight of their work and Vittore gazing this with fresh eyes.

“If you think this is impressive, wait until we reach the fresh water lake!” Lucem grinned, taking Vittore by the hand and leading him there, excited to see his face.

“Ah-! Lucem, slow down!” Vittore shouted as he stumbled to keep up with Lucem, holding their hand tightly in fear of losing sight of them.

They stumbled through the rest of the cave, Lucem’s laughter echoing as Vittore found his footing and laughed along. They kept on until they reached the clear lake that reflected lights like the ocean during night. The highlight was the top of the cave, crystals that glowed like stars twinkling above, as if winking at them. As the water swayed to and fro, the two settled down at the shore of the lake. 

“The water is clean and fresh, Earth Mother made it so that the lake was constantly purifying itself.” Lucem grinned. “These crystals are one of my favorite creations. I used bioluminescent plankton in order to provide the light, and the twinkling would be due to the fact I had to fracture them inside slightly so that the light would move and vary in brightness, thus giving the illusion of twinkling.”

“This is…” Vittore took a deep breath, “This is amazing.”

For a moment they simply enjoyed the sight, Vittore committing every crystal and crevice into mind and Lucem taking in the atmosphere.

“…I think we should start our experiment now.” Vittore cleared his throat, falling into a professional attitude. 

Sensing the switch, Lucem took a deep breath and did the same. 

“Alright, commencing experiment on the effect of our electric light compared to natural light in a darkened area. I’ll use my magic to make it so that the crystals won’t glow for a while. There’s a flower specie with fast reaction to light due to the cave’s structure. From what I recall, Earth Mother said the flowers were to ensure the cave still had enough oxygen besides the algae in the damper areas of the cave.”

Vittore’s eyes searched around for the flower, and found himself gazing at a patch of large yellow flowers with petals similar to the rays of the sun. “I’m assuming it’s these?”

“Yes. Are we ready?” Lucem asked, standing up and holding up their hands. 

“Yes. In three…two…one…” Vittore turned on the light bulb while Lucem muted the cave’s crystal light.

The cave felt lonely, dim, and cold without the splendour of the crystal stars. With the bright white light of the bulb, the flower reacted.

Where once they stood tall, now they bent towards the light, as if eager for a taste, Vittore moved the light and watched in amazement as it followed the light’s movement. After observing the plant a bit more, he gave the okay signal.

“Alright, I think I’ve seen enough. In three, two, one…”

The light bulb turned off and the twinkling light of the crystal cave came back in full swing. Lucem sat down and grinned. “I think we can conclude the light bulb’s strong enough to mimic the natural light.”

“I’ll finish writing this down, then we can relax.” Vittore’s lips curled into an excited smile. 

They spend the rest of the time in soothing silence, Vittore scribbling away and Lucem, gazing at their crystal creation. Finally after Vittore finished his work, he laid down beside Lucem and gazed up above.  
Not a word was said, not a glance exchanged, but none of that is needed when they both knew where the other was. 

“Lucem?” Vittore spoke, breaking the silence. “What was it like, when you saw the creation of the world?”

“Explosive,” Lucem smiled, “I recall my birth to be explosive, there was nothing at first, then there was an explosion and I was born. It was dark at first but I found myself raised with the stars you see today. Then as I grew to be a child, I found earth. I decided I liked it since it was different, it held water and I liked the way my stars shined on the water.”

“So you were but a child when you found the earth.” Vittore hummed, “When I was a child I was in love with the night sky. I wanted to be an astronomer first, would you believe that?”

They chuckled, “Astronomer? I would have loved you, had I known.”

“Oh? Is it habit of you to take in star lovers?” Vittore sat up glanced over at Lucem. 

“Actually, I like to claim star lovers as my followers, even if I hold no need for such things.” they replied, a grin on their face.

“I see, well, I’m glad to have loved the stars first because that’s what pushed me into becoming a scientist. I was fascinated by the stars, the night sky, the moon as it changed phases. I was insufferable to the other children.” He laughed heartily. “The orphanage wasn’t able to provide but I found a kind hearted mentor who adopted me and took me under her wing.”

“And what is her name, Vittore?” they pressed, reaching a hand to lazily pull themselves up. 

“Her name was Arianna Rosso, Professor Arianna Rosso. And she was like _fire_. Brilliant, unashamed of her skills and her insights, defending and doing what she believed was right. Often times, she would indulge my love for astronomy and brought me to the fields in order to have a clearer view of the sky.” Vittore pulled them up as he spoke, softness in his eyes and the cheer in his voice. His voice broke a little as he finished, “She liked it when I called her mother outside of our lessons.”

Lucem slung an arm around Vittore. “I’m sure she loved you as you clearly loved her. She would be proud of our accomplishments.”

“I have no doubt she would be.” He sighed, “Sadly, she fell to the Red Fog.” 

“…I’m sorry for your loss.” Lucem looked away.

“It’s not your fault, the Red Fog was an illness no one knew how to properly remedy.” He shook his head. “Come and gone so suddenly, airborne like a mist.”

“The star-” Lucem choked for a moment. “The star is also representative of healing. The Red Fog was made by a mistake in the heavens. The ruler of the living, Earth Mother, Terra had fallen ill due to one of my own mistakes. Thus the Red Fog.”

“…What did you do, Lucem?” Vittore asked, not judging them at all. “I promise you I have moved on and accepted it. Even the Gods make mistakes right?”

“Yes. You see, I was intoxicated, it was the Feast of Remembrance, for Sky Father and Earth Mother’s marriage. That day… I had picked a fight against the Decayer, keeper of death. I bragged and told him I could heal any disease he strikes the land faster than he could spread it. Angered and drunken, he agreed and the bet was set. It would last for ten years.” Lucem confessed. 

“The next day I woke up and heard of a Red Fog that could send a human into the worst state ever. They bled, they starved, they wasted away, blood stacking on blood. Terra was ill at the time, looking back at it, it was quite suspicious but I had thought she was affected by the Red Fog instead of the main reason for its strength.” 

Tears fell down their eyes as they recalled that time. They were doing as much as possible but the Decayer was smart, he had used fog as a way of spreading the illness in order to cover the starlight. Lucem had resorted to using magicians and dropping in, pointing them into healing. They had dropped into the dreams of scientists and healers, urging them to find ways to heal the people. They had begun sabotaging the Decayer as best as possible but even then, it was never enough.

“I tried, but I was no match for Death himself.” Lucem sighed.

“You did what you could. The past has already gone by. I cannot blame you for it, and while it is a dark time in history for both of us we have weathered through.” Vittore nodded in surety. “Let’s take a break from all this downcast memories, this place is too beautiful to stay saddened for long.”

“Very well,” Lucem snickered, “What do you wish to talk about then?”

“What is it like, ruling the night? Who are your subjects? How does it work?” Vittore shot question after question, a shine to his eye that Lucem recognized to be one he held whenever he did an experiment.

“Well, ruling the night is actually not as easy as one would expect. My throne is the moon and I have to ensure my subjects, the stars, are content and safe.” Lucem answered. “Now tell me, what was it like living with other children?”

Vittore let out a loud laugh. “Of all things, you ask about children?”

“I grew up alone, might I remind you. I wonder what it’s like growing up with someone your age group.” They answered back with a raised eyebrow. “So, cough it up or I’ll pour cold water in your face when you go to sleep.”

“Alright, alright, let me see…” Vittore went silent as he mulled over his past. Lucem waited patiently.

The lake’s water gently filled the air as the crystals above twinkled like their real life counter parts. Lucem closed their eyes for a moment, taking in the peace and tranquillity. This, Lucem thought, they wouldn’t mind doing forever, as long as it’s with Vittore.

“My time in the orphanage was noisy. The other children and I, we all ate at the same time, dressed in hand me down donations and played with broken toys. It was harder for older children to be adopted and rarer still were they kept. Often times we were constantly transferred from home to home. A family wants us but then realizes we aren’t their dream child and the cycle begins again.” Vittore followed suite, closing his eyes. 

“They often played outside but I studied since I wanted to catch the eye of the more teen tolerant households. I’ve noticed that most of the children adopted were the ones that were viewed as intelligent or talented, so I wanted to be seen as such. For that, I was labelled boring, idealistic, and hopeful. They left me alone since I was favoured by the workers for being good.”

Lucem imagined a young Vittore dressed in ragged clothing and wide blue eyes looking up and hoping to be adopted. Perhaps Vittore would have messy red hair like a fluffy bird’s nest?

“I see. As a child the others had yet to be born, and so I played on the earth. The only person to know I’m older than everyone would be Earth Mother since she was also a child back then.” Lucem could imagine their childhood already. Playing in the water with Terra, watching the stars twinkle and shine for their little ruler, salt in the air and the earth not yet fully formed. “I don’t recall much of what happened other than the basics. Earth Mother and I had watched as land took shape and I got hit by a stray rock. I ended up sealed away in the water for years in order to heal.”

“I see, so in the end, it seems as if you are younger than them due to being sealed away.” Vittore sighed. “It must been difficult, adjusting to a new world with the only familiar face being the aged visage of a friend.”

“It was, but I managed somehow. And besides, I have you right?” Lucem grinned.  
Vittore smiled in turn, “And you have me.”

“I do.”

The rest of their time in the cave was spent talking about lighter topics. From silly memories, to idle thoughts and favourite foods until with was time to head back. 

The next day saw the two of them resting. It was an off day, where they could rest their minds and ease themselves of their worries and stress.

For Lucem, it meant they could go back to the heavens in order to keep the others from getting suspicious while Vittore allowed himself to sleep in and indulge in many luxuries. 

“Calypso!” One of their colleagues greeted, a man by the name of Lamar Bellerose. “It’s a pleasure to see you. And where’s Vittore?”

“Vittore’s currently resting as of right now.” Lucem replied with a charming smile. “And how’s your day so far, Lamar?”

Lamar raised a fine eyebrow at the lack of Vittore. “My day has been great so far, Calypso. Though, I find it odd how Vittore isn’t around. Normally you two seemed to be attached to the hip!”

Lucem flushed, “We aren’t always that close, right?”

“Actually, no. When Vittore is here, we can rest assured that you’d be near and the other way around. Sure you leave sometimes to handle your own magician duties, but you’d be back within the month. This is a rare moment where we don’t see Vittore close by.” Lamar pointed out, causing Lucem to flush. 

“I…I never noticed.” 

Lamar shook his head, “You both are as oblivious as two blind mice. Ever since Vittore brought you in he’s a lot more relaxed and easier to work with.”

“Oh? Do tell, Lamar,” Lucem’s eyes shined with interest.

Lamar’s lips curled to a smile. “Well, let’s see. He was quieter, spoke his sentences swiftly and shortly. We all slightly feared him as he was the big boss. We all respected him as much as we feared him. He was also aloof and stoic, his face never changing and voice never above a simple tone. It was as if he was simply going through the motions of life, as if making and theorizing was always apart of him.”

Lucem listened as Lamar spoke of the many unforgiving traits of Vittore before they came. From the sounds of it, Vittore must’ve been too cold and walled himself in. Makes sense seeing as he was afraid to get close to people after his adoptive mother died. 

“And then you came, imagine our shock when Vittore comes in with a magician as cheeky as you, saying he managed to reach out and get us magic sponsor. We thought it impossible. After all, this was cold and silent Vittore, who could barely even smile!” He sighed, bright blue eyes shining with the classic romanticism common in his home land. 

“He smiled for the first time since we’ve met him. He laughed and joked around. It was as if he was a different man all together.” He lifted up a hand and brushed back his blond hair. “It’s as if you two were always meant to be.”

Lucem thought back on it. Their chat in the cave, their times together, Lucem cannot deny the fact something was happening between them.

“Ah, look at the time, I’ll have to go. Duty calls me.” With that, they went away and headed back to the heavens.

“At least one of them is self-aware now,” Lamar smiled.

The journey to the heavens was spent in thoughtful silence. There was no rush to arrive quickly this time. Lucem took the time to think about Vittore, them and their relationship.  
Did they want Vittore to be something more? 

Or perhaps they’re mistaking friendship for love?

There’s only one person they knew who understood love the best, Lucem sighed as they arrived at their domain. It has been a while since they used their status in the Heavenly World, with a cheeky smile Lucem had a star summon Amaria, the Love Bringer.

Amaria came dressed in the colors of the sunset, her dawn like hair held up in an intricate design and stung with pearls of pink. Her heart shaped lips tinted red as she murmured a greeting. Bowing down to Lucem, she kept her eyes down cast to the floor with false respect.

Lucem sat on their throne a cheeky smile on their lips and amusement shining in their eyes like stars on a lake. 

“Amaria,” They spoke. “Do you know why I have summoned you?” 

Amaria replied with her sweet voice, annoyance shining in her eyes. “No, Night Ruler, I do not know.”

“I summoned you here to ask you to tell me what love is,” Lucem glared down at her, black eyes glowing an unsettling red like the coldest star in the sky. 

She looked at him in confusion, her lovely blue eyes turning cold as she wondered if the Night Ruler was so heartless they did not know love. Clearing he throat, she began to speak. 

“Love can be familial or romantic-“

“-Tell me about romantic love then. What’s the difference between familial love and romantic love?” Lucem urged her, impatient to know the answer in order to understand their own storming emotions.

Slighted, Amaria continued on. “Romantic love is when you can’t help but think about another person in your life and want to see them. You want to have them close to you and can’t help but think about the way they look at you when they smile, the way your eyes meet and you see an entire world with them. Unlike familial love where you see them as someone you care for like kin, this one is where you want to keep them to yourself and hold them close in order for you to feel at ease when they so much as shed a tear…”

Lucem listened with closed eyes as they thought of Vittore. 

The way he laughed at Lucem’s jokes and smiled after a new breakthrough in his experiments. The way his eyes shined as he spoke of his mentor and adoptive mother. Lucem found themselves thinking of the way Vittore told them, ‘Even Gods make mistakes’. The way those molten gold eyes haunted their dreams and the way Vittore whispered their name burned in their memories. They recalled Vittore’s flaws and his problems, how he sleeps at night hunched over his desk, the selective way he treats other people, how he seems to overload himself with responsibility and how they’ve helped him deal with his problems and how he’s helped them…

Lucem thinks of how he makes their heart go fast with nothing but their name and a smile.

“Amaria, that’s enough.” They spoke, opening their eyes calmer, black. The cheeky smile gone and replaced with a serious face. “You are dismissed.”

And with that, the star that brought her here took her out of their kingdom.

“Ah…” Lucem sighed to the now empty hall. “I fell in love.”

Leaning back on their throne, they began to make a plan.

Meanwhile, time has barely passed on Earth when Vittore took a midday stroll. 

“Ah, Vittore!” Lamar grinned, “It has been so long since I’ve seen you by yourself. Are you looking for Calypso?”

Vittore shook his head. “I know where they are. How are you, Lamar?”

“I am good. Now, tell me, how are you and Calypso getting along?” Lamar’s baby blue eyes shined with a hope to have them _both_ realize they fancy one another. He fears they may take forever if someone didn’t intervene.

“Calypso and I? We get along perfectly, Lamar. Why?” Vittore gave him an odd look. 

Lamar hummed, “How so?”

“Why, we speak most of the time, and Calypso often whispers jokes to me, they give me gifts like moonstone and sunstone, they bring me to beautiful places only they seem to know and we talk for what feels like hours. I trust Calypso fully and they trust me back, from their troubled past to their turbulent present, they have let me seen them for who they are and not the mask they hold.” Vittore’s eyes held a faraway look as he thought more and more about Lucem. 

“Would you go as far as to say you love them?” Lamar asked gently.

Vittore paused. “I… I do not understand what you are trying to say, Lamar.”

“I said, do you love them?” He repeated sternly, an easy going smile still on his face.

Vittore blinked. He then blinked once more. 

_Oh._

That’s what he’s been feeling. Every time his heart sped up and his face flushed. Every time he listened to their jokes and laughed. Every time he instinctively turned to look for them. It wasn’t something he had been shrugging off.  
No, he was simply in love.

“I’m in love.” He murmured. 

Lamar grinned in pride. “I thought you would need longer to realize, Vittore!” 

“I’m in love!” Vittore’s eyes went wide. “I- What do I do now, Lamar?”

“Why you tell them, Vittore!” Lamar laughed as he slapped Vittore’s back.

Vittore gave him a confused look. “But what if-”

“There is no need to second guess yourself, if they don’t love a charming man like you then you simply need to strive and work hard to let them love you.” Lamar laughed. “Ah, I must go, I’ll be seeing my wife soon. Good luck, Vittore!”

Vittore gazed at the fleeting back of Lamar and looked up at the sky dryly. How exactly can he confess to Lucem when they’re a literal God? Determined and unsure, he left to look for a guide in the library. Hopefully there exist some type of guide to help hopeless people like him?

The day passed by quickly and night fell. 

That’s when Lucem came back, wearing the formal attire of the heavens. Black and gold trimmed coat that fell to their knees and a shirt dotted with stars shimmered with every movement. A golden sash, gold and black tapestry like cloth fell in front of their legs with stars falling down. Lucem’s hair is up and strung with stars. They arrived with the gentle touch of starlight behind them, their black eyes shining with determination.

And before them stood Vittore wearing the formal suits he’d wear for conventions and gatherings, a tasteful red and gold tuxedo. 

They stood for a moment taking in one another in the empty grass field that overlooked Stellium. The sky clear and the stars bright, the moon nowhere to be seen.

“Vittore?” Lucem spoke, their voice soft and hesitant.

“I love you, Lucem!” Vittore shouted almost immediately.

His face flushed red with embarrassment when he realized how he said it. “I-I love you. I love the way you make jokes, I love the way you laugh with such confidence. I love how you look at me as if the only thing important in this world is me. You trusted me with everything and I trust you with everything, so now I trust you with my heart.”

“Vittore!” Lucem’s face broke into a brilliant smile as tears filled their eyes. “Shut up, you didn’t let me reply back.” They walked quickly towards Vittore as the man stood still in apprehension.

They walked until they’re face to face, a hair’s breath away. 

Vittore looked into those shining obsidian eyes, like the night sky. So dark and yet so full of life. And in those eyes he found tears in them. 

“Vittore, ever since I’ve met you I’ve been enchanted by you. Your wit, your determination, your care and visionary goals.” Lucem said, blinking back the tears. 

Leaning forward, they whispered in his ear. “What I mean to say is that, I love you too.”

And just like that, the world became right.

Embracing one another on this moonless night, they kissed. At first it was soft, only a peck, then they grew bolder and bolder, pecks turning to long kisses, and in between each kiss, tears fell from Lucem’s eyes.

“Lucem, my love,” Vittore spoke as he brushed away the teas. “Why must you cry on such a night?”

Lucem wiped away the last of their tears. “Because in the end, I found out what it means to not truly be alone.”

“Haven’t I told you that no matter what you’ll have me? No matter what you do or who you become, I’ll be there for you.” Vittore’s breath tickled their ear, cause them to flush.

“I love you, Vittore. I swear on my name as Lucem, as Night Ruler, as Calypso and whichever name I shall become, I swear on my magic and my soul that I will love you for as long as you love me.” Lucem swore to no one but Vittore with their audience the empty field and the open sky.

They could feel it. The chain binding Lucem to Vittore together. Warm and gentle like the embrace of their lover.

“Lucem… I, Vittore Rosso, shall swear to be yours for as long as I shall live. In sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, I am yours as you are mine. So I swear.” Vittore closed his eyes as he moved to kiss Lucem once more.

That night, they watched the stars and held one another, content in knowing that they love each other fully and totally. 

Years passed and word spread over the affirmation that the famed scientist, Vittore Rosso, and the Magician on his research team, Calypso are officially together. Many have seen this coming and congratulated the two most popular people of Stellium. Many called it a match made by the heavens and others called it fate. In the end, there was no doubt about their popularity as many people have spread word and celebrated in cheer. These are the two people who helped bring Stellium from the dregs of poverty and into the kingdom it is today.

That is until one day, the King of Stellium held a party to celebrate the fifth year of Stellium as a prosperous kingdom. And there he invited the team of Vittore to the party. 

At first Lucem assumed it to be a formal event to not pay attention to anything. There were speeches done by the King and one done by Vittore himself.

“I started out as an ambitious man who wanted to help the kingdom I loved so much. Especially after the Red Fog, I knew I wanted to help the kingdom in recovering and regaining our former glory. And on my fool hardy journey, I met my colleagues who believed in a madman like me and a magician who gained interest in my ideas. To think I would actually pull it off and even meet the love of my life though my ambitions, I truly am grateful. To myself for thinking of it in the first place-” He snorted, “-To my colleagues who didn’t write me off as insane and to the Magician who stood by my side and showed me the magic of love, Calypso.”

They cheered and he settles down, holding Lucem’s hand underneath the table.

The food came and they ate. The food as expected, were all fresh and rich in taste and sight. Roasted pigs and fancy dishes, from highly prized desserts such as chocolate and cakes to sweet meats such as lamb and beef. The wine itself is the King’s best batch, filled with sparkling red and a sweet taste that lingers. 

Then came the dances.

Lucem, dressed in the formal clothing of the heavens and Vittore dressed in his suit, the two made quite the sight as they danced on the ballroom floor. 

Vittore smiled as he spun Lucem. “Enjoying you first party in Stellium?” 

“Truly,” Lucem grinned as they moved their leg up before being moved by Vittore to another side of the room. “But the thing I love best about to night is dancing with you.”

“Oh?” Vittore hummed teasingly as he moved his hand to Lucem’s hips and lifting them up in a jump. Lucem in turn moved their legs around him, hooking it on his hip as they stretched out their arm. “And here I thought it was the chocolate that stole your heart.” 

As Vittore guided them to the ground, Lucem huffed in amusement. “As much as I love chocolate, you’re sweet enough to match a room full of desserts.”

“You truly are a gift I never thought I wished for. No matter how long time has passed, I take one look at you and I fall in love all over again.” Vittore brought his face close to Lucem as he turned the two of them around the room. 

“And I, you. I know that you’re mortal but… I want to give up my Godhood for you.” Lucem whispered in Vittore’s ears as they leaned in close, a leg lifting up against Vittore’s torso.

Vittore’s eyes widened, “You what?!” 

“I said, I plan on giving up my Godhood for you.” Lucem ginned as Vittore presented them and then spun them again. 

“I- Lucem, I’m flattered but am I truly worth giving up your status as a God for?” He asked as he held Lucem close, their eyes meeting.

“Yes.” Lucem replied readily, “I’d rather die happy with you as a mortal than wallow the rest of my immortal life alone and in grief. In the heavens, I am unloved by everyone but the Earth Mother, who will understand my decision. I hold no doubt on the opinion of the other’s on me and surely they would rejoice at my loss of status.”

Vittore licked his lips and tuned them around once more. “You’ve thought about this.”

“I have.”

Presenting them, as the music began to pick up, Vittore said, “Then I will respect your decision and support you fully. Lucem… You truly are a gift from the heavens.”

And as Lucem twirled, Vittore dipped them, a brilliant and loving smile on his face.

The music ended and time seem to stop as they stayed in that position, catching their breath.

Then Vittore’s eyes widened and his face crumpled into pain. “Agh!”

And suddenly it’s Lucem holding Vittore as he crumples on the ground. “Vittore!”

They use their magic to scan him and find him poisoned, but it was too late. 

He’s dying.

“L-Lucem. I love you.” Vittore spoke, his voice strained and weak from pain.

“Please, don’t waste your voice, love. I-I can still heal you!” Lucem’s eyes filled with tears as they held their hands above Vittore’s heart.

Vittore moved his hand over Lucem’s. “It’s too late. Lucem, listen. All I want is for my last words to be I love you. I love you so much Lucem, I never thought myself capable of such love. I love you from the first to last.”

Cupping Vittore’s face, Lucem’s tears fell. “Please, love, don’t leave me alone.”

Lucem closed their eyes and felt their own body. Ah, they were poisoned too. It doesn’t matter. Their body is stronger than that of a mortal’s. The poison is too weak to do anything.   
But even if the skin beneath their touch is warm, they could not feel a single pulse. 

Vittore Rosso is dead.

“He is dead.” Lucem spoke, their voice steady and calm. Their eyes flashed gold as they carried his body. “Stellium, this shall be the last you shall see of me. Do not try to search for me. I will not curse you for Vittore had truly loved you so, but I cannot stay in the land where my love had been assassinated for naught but wanting to see this Empire thrive.”

With a flourish of their cloak, Lucem and Vittore’s body vanished into thin air, leaving behind a shocked audience of noble and peasant alike.

As for where Lucem had gone to, it would be straight to the hall of the Sky. For if there is anyone who can undo such a wrongfully earned fate, it would be the Sky Father. 

Many Gods heard of Lucem’s arrival, carrying the body of a Stellium scientist. Word travels fast in the heavens, as all the Gods gathered to watch Lucem’s next move.

The Hall of the Sky is large and grand. With white and blue swirling together, there’s roses and peonies blooming on the sidelines, the work of Earth Mother, no doubt. A large crystalline pool of water gathers with blue wisps, the Pool of Reincarnation spinning and spinning in tranquil grace. And in the center, watching it all with a stoniness, a head with white clouds for hair and unseeing blue eyes is the Sky Father.

“Night Ruler, Lucem. What brings you before me?” Like the boom of thunder, his voice echoed. 

“Sky Father, I come before you to undo the wrongfully earned fate of a worthy mortal.” Lucem did not bow. All they did was gaze at the Sky Father with their black eyes as hard as obsidian and as determined as steel. 

“And what will you pay for this mortal, Night Ruler?” The Sky Father asked, his eyes of milky blue staring back with knowledge.

Lucem set down Vittore, and bowed on their knee, a hand over their heart. “I will give up my status as a God.”

The watching Gods gasped. After all this was Lucem, the trickster who seemed to enjoy their Godhood the most. The most selfish of them all, or so they believed. What could push Lucem to give up being a God for a single, dead mortal?

“I see. And tell me, what is the reason you ae willing to do this?” The Sky Father knew why Lucem was there but if they were to save the soul of this mortal man, then Lucem must embrace their reason and hold it firmly. 

Lucem stood tall and firm. Gazing at all the gathered Gods, before looking at the body of their love. His pallor has paled. What was once a healthy glow of light brown skin, is now a paper white hue. In contrast to his red and gold clothing, he truly looks like a shadow of who he is- no, was now. They could almost hear his voice ringing in their head.

“Lucem…”

Their conviction took hold. 

Looking the Sky Father in the eyes, they said, “I will give up my status as a God for the sake of this mortal man for he is the one my heart belongs to.”

“Wait!” Amaria shouted in shock, “Is this why you wanted to know about love?”

Lucem glared at Amaria. “Yes. I fell in love with him, and for him, I will give my Godhood before the Sky Father.”

“This is why you always left,” Oberon walked in, eyes red like blood, shining like a cat. “I find myself unsurprised by this, Lucem.”

“Oberon…” Lucem frowned, “You shielded my presence on earth. That's why Amaria never knew prior to this day, isn't it?”

Oberon smiled smugly, “Indeed I have, took you long enough. I will not stop you, for this is the happiest I’ve seen you be. You have my well wishes and my aid, brother.”

The Earth Mother came up next, a brilliant smile on her face. She had appeared out of nowhere, in a flurry of leaves. “Oh, Lucem.” Her hand cupped the face of her oldest friend. “You deserve happiness. As such, Sky Father and I have already decided.”

Lucem stood still. Even if they wanted to save their love, they thought their plea would be rejected.

The Sky Father walked down from his throne and with his staff, raised the soul of Vittore. 

“To resurrect would destroy the balance as such, I can only allow him to reincarnate with the rest of the worthy souls.” He waved his staff once more, and the soul of Vittore was moved to the Pool of Reincarnation.

“Lucem, Night Ruler and Magic Personified, as part of your deal, you are here by Earthbound. You shall wander the earth eternally until you find you lover once more. We shall reconsider whether or not to take your immortality once you ae certain you found your love.” 

The Gods gave way as the Sky Father thumped his staff on the marble floor. A beam of light shone upon Lucem and the floor gave way, becoming a hole to Earth.

The world spiraled around them as they reached for something to steady themselves. They reached for their Stars but none came. They reached to hold on and steady themselves on the Moon but their hand did not catch hold. 

And as the world spun round and round, blurring together into a flurry of colors, until they fell onto the ground, uninjured and alone.

They looked around in order to examine where they had landed, only to find themselves in a clearing of a forest, the full moon high in the sky and lighting everything its solemn glow.   
Lucem is alone once more. 

Standing up, they began to make a camp. They’ll plan out their next course of actions later. But all they know for now is that:

“Vittore, I will wait for however long it takes. And when I find you, I will keep you safe. On this, I swear on my name.” 


End file.
